INDIANAPOLIS — While the Red Sox and Phillies were interested in Rafael Betancourt, the Brewers made the strongest run at the reliever, according to a major league source.

Betancourt is considered one of the most talented relievers on the market, but no team, at this point, is willing to pay the salary he wants and surrender a first-round draft pick. So all signs point toward the veteran accepting the Rockies’ one-year salary arbitration offer. His representatives said at 6 p.m. Eastern Time — six hours before the deadline — they owed it to their client to exhaust all avenues before agreeing to remain with the Rockies.

Lobby Buzz
–Add the Mets and Royals to the list of teams that have interest in catcher Yorvit Torrealba. The Giants and Blue Jays have also called. Torrealba would like to return to the Rockies. After talking to several executives, here’s the deal: How do you convince Torrealba to take a paycut after the way he finished last season? He turned down a two-year, $4.5-million deal with the Rockies. Can he get more on the open market? There are enough teams interested not to rule it out. But all things equal, Torrealba wants to be a Rockie, that much I know.
–Former big leaguer Joey Eischen is looking to get back into baseball as either a minor league pitching coach or scout.
–LaTroy Hawkins will not be offering any free-agent discounts after his strong performance last season. If Betancourt leaves, the Rockies will make him their top target.
–The Rockies believe that left-hander Greg Smith will be healthy and ready to contribute when spring training begins. Smith never pitched in the big leagues a year ago after suffering multiple injuries.

Depth and contract offers were the reverberating themes Tuesday for the Rockies. They have expressed interest in free agent utilityman Bobby Crosby and pitcher Noah Lowry, while extending salary arbitration offers to pitchers Rafael Betancourt and Jason Marquis.
Crosby, who will turn 30 in January, was a star at Long Beach State before Troy Tulowitzki. Crosby, a former American League Rookie of the Year, is a right-handed hitter capable of playing first and third base. The Rockies like his versatility, and he could provide protection for the left-handed hitting Ian Stewart in the likely event that Garrett Atkins will sign elsewhere as a free agent when non-tendered on Dec. 12.
Lowry, a former San Francisco Giant, has not pitched since 2007 because of injuries, but owns a 40-31 career record with a 4.03 ERA. The Rockies typically bring reclamation projects to spring training on no-risk minor-league deals with hopes of them contributing at some point during the season.
The bullpen could soon become a priority if Bentacourt rejects the team’s arbitration offer and defects to another team. The Phillies are among those interested. The Rockies are expected to call about LaTroy Hawkins, a one-time mainstay in their bullpen, after the Astros declined to offer him salary arbitration today.
Betancourt has until Monday to decide on the Rockies’ offer as does Marquis. Betancourt might accept, but Marquis is highly unlikely since he is seeking a longterm deal. If the Rockies lose Betancourt, they would receive two draft picks and one if Marquis departs.
Catcher Yorvit Torrealba, whom the team is still negotiating to bring back, and reliever Joe Beimel were not offered arbitration.

DENVER — The Rockies have been busy with their catching position this offseason, discussing different contract offers with free agent Yorvit Torrealba and first-time arbitration eligible Chris Iannetta while keeping their eye on the market. One player they had interest in as a backup is no longer available. According to The Morning Call, a paper that covers the Phillies, Brian Schneider has signed with Philadelphia.

Schneider is known for his defense, but has struggled offensively the past few years because of injuries. Schneider grew up a Phillies’ fan, according to the report, making this an easy decision. He will spell starter Carlos Ruiz.

The Rockies haven’t given up on bringing Torrealba back. The sides have continued to talk. Torrealba wants to return, but he’s drawing interest from the Giants and Blue Jays, both of whom could give him a clearer shot at playing time. Torrealba finished last season as the Rockies’ starter, but the team has a young player in Iannetta who, in 2008, was one of the better catchers in the National League. Both players bring strong points. Torrealba is praised for the way he handles pitchers, his passion and clutch hitting.

Even during an admittedly disappointing season, Iannetta hit 16 home runs and collected 33 extra base hits in 289 at-bats and improved his throwing. The team is currently focusing on a one-year deal with Iannetta.

DENVER — All of the hints became a fact. Pedro Martinez, arguably the greatest pitcher of this generation, will start Game 3 Saturday for the Phillies. Martinez was signed during the season for this reason — to throw a big game, or two or three. He hasn’t been the same since manager Charlie Manuel let him redline to 130 pitches several weeks back aganist the Mets. That’s why there was some doubt about whether the Phils would go with Martinez, J.A. Happ or Joe Blanton. Martinez’s last few starts have been uninspiring. He worked 130 pitches, left his next game prematurely with a stiff neck, skipped a start, then was ineffective for four innings in his last start.

The Rockies have the utmost respect for Martinez, no one more than Ubaldo Jimenez. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, he had a poster of Jimenez on his wall.

“He’s still my idol. That won’t change. But this is a live-or-die situation,” Jimenez said. “I want my team to win. He can do well in any other game, just not this one.”

Just talked a Phillies’ writer who knows a lot more about his team than I do. And he went over how the Phillies ended up with Martinez in this game. Basically, the Phillies wanted badly to be up 2-love in this series. So they moved Happ to the bullpen to try and accomplish that. It backfired when he was smacked in the leg with a groundball yesterday. And with Blanton already working out of the pen — that speaks to what a mess Philly’s relief corps is right now because of injuries to J.C. Romero and Chan Ho Park — Martinez became the choice.

But Martinez has not been the same
Martinez remained coy when asked about starting Friday in the dismal weather, joking, “Maybe I will snowmobile around the bases.”

The Rockies will counter with Jason Hammel, who overtook Jason Marquis down the stretch to earn this start. Marquis will be available for Game 4, though no announcement has been made yet on who will start for either team Sunday. Manuel is taking a calculated risk throwing Martinez. The Rockies are a much better team against right-handed pitching. Martinez on the mound also means that Ian Stewart and Seth Smith will likely start at third base and left field, respectively.

The weather conditions — in case you are wondering — are fine today. The temperatures are in the 50s. But during the game tomorrow night there’s expected to be freezing rain/snow. As of now, there appears to a window to get the game in, but obviously it’s Colorado in the fall so that could change.

DENVER — One day after one of the biggest regular-season wins in franchise history, the Rockies were forced to shake up their roster because of injuries.

Eric Young Jr. and Matt Murton were called up. with Dexter Fowler going on the DL and Adam Eaton getting designated for assignment.

The moves were necessary because of Fowler’s deep bone bruise on his right knee and Carlos Gonzalez’s left hand injury. There’s a chance that Eaton could come back in September if he clears waivers.

Young Jr. is starting tonight in center field and leading off. His famous father will be here for his boy’s debut. A look at the lineup:
CF Young Jr
LF Spilborghs
1B Helton
SS Tulowitzki
RF Hawpe
3B Atkins
2B Barmes
C Iannetta
RHP Hammel

DENVER — Troy Tulowitzki took an awkward swing while striking out in his first at-bat tonight, appearing to favor his right leg as he walked off. Manager Jim Tracy immediately followed Tulo down in the dugout to ask him if he was all right. Tulo did some squats in the dugout, testing his right leg. he returned to the field, but the trainer and Tracy were keeping a close eye on him. Tulo kept shaking his right leg out, as if the muscle was tight.

By the top of third inning, he was acting more like himself. But it’s worth keeping an eye on.

It’s been a bad week for injuries with the team losing Aaron Cook (shoulder) and Carlos Gonzalez (cut left hand).

DENVER — In a twist from this last weekend, there was good news regarding injuries today. Aaron Cook’s MRI on his shoulder came back clean. With no structural damage, it leaves the possibility he will pitch again this season. Cook will begin playing catch next week after the Rockies return from San Francisco.

Carlos Gonzalez, out with a cut left hand, also made progress. He played catch, testing the cut on his left throwing hand. He wasn’t throwing 100 percent, but he said he could be available to play defense in an emergency. The plan is to hit off a tee tomorrow. The stitch will come out either Tuesday or Wednesday. He doesn’t grip the bat tightly with his left or top hand so he believes he will be able to return to the lineup this week.

DENVER — I am not at the ballpark tonight. Watching from home, but have eyes at ears at Coors Field. When Aaron Cook left after just 47 pitches with a shoulder injury. His velocity had declined dramatically from 91 to 85 miles per hour so it was clear this wasn’t related to his old big toe injury. Cook has dealt with nagging injuries at the end of the last two seasons. He sat out two months in 2007 with an oblique injury and was bothered by a back problem at the end of last year.

A sore shoulder is not good news. It’s hard to imagine Cook avoiding a stint on the DL. With all due respect to his replacements, that’s a big loss.

Cook hasn’t been right since his Aug. 6 start against the Phillies. That’s when his jammed toe became an issue. Since that game, despite extra rest between his next game, Cook has worked 5 1/3 innings and given up 11 runs. The way Cook is right now, he’s not helping the team. He’d be better off resting. Potential replacements include Josh Fogg, Adam Eaton and rookie Jhoulys Chacin.

WASHINGTON DC — When the Rockies selected prep phenom Tyler Matzek with the 11th pick in the first round, it ranked as one of the draft’s biggest shocks.
The team pulled off another surprise Monday signing the California left-hander prior to the 10 p.m. deadline.
It is believed that Matzek agreed to a bonus of $3.8 to $3.9 million, well above the commissioner’s recommended slot of $1.8 million. The highest bonus the Rockies had previously ever awarded is $3.25 million to pitcher Greg Reynolds, who has only pitched once in the minor leagues this season because of injuries.
Matzek went 13-1 as a senior for Capistrano Valley (Calif.) high school, and was prepared to go the University of Oregon. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, he is considered to be among the top high school pitchers in the nation. Opponents hit just .144 against him in 277 at-bats.
This marks a significant shift in the Rockies’ draft philosophy. They have been known to take risks in later rounds, but have typically followed slot salaries with their top picks. This represents a coup for the Rockies, who believe Matzek could move quickly in their system.

NEW YORK — While the Rockies have increased their pursuit of Mark Hendrickson, they are also interested in Toronto left-hander Scott Downs, according to the Toronto Sun. Downs has roughly $600,000 remaining on this salary this year and $4 million next season.

Not sure what the Blue Jays would want in return because they have so many moving pieces right now as they try to trade Scott Rolen to the Reds, which would likely bring back third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, and Roy Halladay. The leaders for Halladay appear to be the Dodgers at this point, though most people I talk to don’t think Halladay will be dealt.

Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd looks to acquire players he can control beyond one season. Down’s price tag next year would be high, especially if the Rockies keep Huston Street, who could receive a big raise in arbitration. But it would also provide late-inning protection of Manuel Corpas and Taylor Buchholz don’t rebound from injuries.

Yorvit Torrealba’s got the three Rs on his side. After the harrowing ordeal of his son’s kidnapping in Venezuela, the catcher is rested, relaxed and ready. He will likely be in the starting lineup for Sunday’s game against the Diamondbacks.

He needed every bit of his minor-league rehab stint to get ready for what will amount to his second season-opener. He hasn’t played in the big leagues for more than a month, but said his head’s been clear for a while. It was his body that was gathering rust.

“I think I needed the physical work most,” Torrealba said before tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks. “As soon as I had my son back, and as soon as we flew to the States, I was fine. I slept good at night. Physically, I was struggling after not doing anything for two weeks.”

Torrealba said he was most concerned about his right shoulder.

“With the injuries I’ve had, I was worried about my shoulder, but things have worked out just fine,” Torrealba said.

Manager Jim Tracy said he’s confident Torrealba is ready to go.

“We’ve done everything we could do to get him mentally and physically ready,” Tracy said. “There was a period of about two weeks where he was almost complete dormant, and we were very concerned about that.”

Major League Baseball, noting Torrealba’s special circumstances, gave the catcher plenty of time to regain his baseball shape.

Tracy noted that the last time Torrealba played for the Rockies – all the way back on June 1 in Houston – Torrealba threw out two Astros baserunners at second.

Here are lineups for tonight’s game, which looks like it will delayed if the rolling thunder overhead, lightningand pelting rain is an indication:

DENVER — That Ryan Spilborghs is in right can be traced to the fact that Brad Hawpe’s groin is not right. Turns out, he injured himself early in Monday’s loss. He’s not starting tonight as a precaution. Manager Clint Hurdle was not sure if Hawpe would be available to pinch-hit.

There was better news on other injuries:
–First baseman Todd Helton’s headache has vanished. “I have never had something like that. The more I moved around yesterday, the worse it got. But I feel a lot better today.”

–Starter Franklin Morales threw a simulated game today, making progress. “I threw a lot more strikes. I felt better,” said Morales, who has been out for the last three weeks with a strained lat muscle in his side. He will begin a rehab assignment in roughly three days after throwing 60 pitches today.

–Reliever Taylor Buchholz, whose absence has clearly hurt the Rockies, will throw a bullpen session tomorrow. He will likely follow that up with one more pen session before embarking on a rehab assignment to test his elbow. The sooner he can come back the better. If he could provide even a hint of his performance last year, he would be a huge boost to the bullpen.

Las Vegas — Astute observers of Friday’s game noticed the same thing I did. Todd Helton still isn’t running well. He’s purposely being cautious in his return from back surgery. But to clear a couple of things up: He did not leave last night’s game with an injury. He’s played plenty this spring and there was no reason to push it.

Also, the weather conditions were miserable. There were 35-mile-per-hour winds, dropping the temperatures into the 40s. So it was no surprise to see Helton moving slowly as he navigated the bases last night, especially going first to third. It does show that his back will need to be monitored, especially in nasty weather. Nonetheless, Helton remains the surprise of spring training. And the idea of him hitting 20 home runs is no longer preposterous.

As for his backup, Garrett Atkins will start at first base, his first innings there this spring. He didn’t have the opportunity to play because of two separate leg injuries. Manager Clint Hurdle told me last night that Atkins would play, weather willing.

The Rockies will start Jason Marquis with the Mariners countering with Ryan Rowland-Smith. There’s no DH today with the Rockies the home team:

Last Vegas — Josh Fogg threw Thursday in Arizona, but not necessarily well enough to land a big-league gig elsewhere. The Orioles have mild interest, but remain a longshot. If nothing materializez, Fogg confirmed to The Denver Post that he will report to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

The Rockies had three players with opt out dates Friday — Sal Fasano, Matt Belisle and Fogg — and none were exercised. Fasano deserves to be in the big leagues somewhere. The guy is masterful in his work with pitchers, and would make a great bench coach someday. He will be a valuable asset in Springs. Belisle has no incentive to leave. Manager Clint Hurdle expects to add him to the big-league staff as a long reliever next Friday with Franklin Morales returning to the minors to pitch on regular rest until April 21.

The lineup the Rockies featured tonight will likely be the one trotted out for the home opener Friday against left-hander Cole Hamels. That would leave center fielder Dexter Fowler hitting leadoff and Ryan Spilborghs shifting to left and hitting second.

Footnotes
After his third hit, including two wind-blown shots that became an adventure for left fielder Endy Chavez, Todd Helton exited for a pinch-runner in the top of the fourth inning. No reason to push it on a night with the temperatures in the 40s with wind-chill factored in. Christian Colonel replaced him. … Franklin Morales provided an ecnouraging outing through four innings. As he started to derail in the third inning with runners on base, he struck out Russell Branyan and erased Mike Sweeney with a fly out to center field. … Because of two separate leg injuries this spring, Garrett Atkins never played first base. Hurdle suggested that Atkins could play some first Saturday. Jeff Baker is also a potential fill-in for Todd Helton. … On a raw, cold evening, Clint Barmes and Dexter Fowler played the entire game. They should receive an ice sculpture for their work.

Angels 18, Rockies 11At Tempe Diablo StadiumAt the plate:Jeff Baker showed simultaneously why teams want him, namely the Astros and Pirates, and why the Rockies want fair value to move him. Starting his first game at third base, Baker homered twice and singled. Baker has said he doesn’t concern himself with trade rumors or injuries. “I used to worry about stuff that I couldn’t control, and it doesn’t do any good,’’ said Baker, who also committed a throwing error. Baker’s is out of options and facing a roster crunch. Catcher Yorvit Torrealba, another player the Rockies would consider trading, continued his strong spring with a home run to left field. Torrealba finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, raising his average to .306. Dexter Fowler, bucking for a roster spot, turned a bloop single into a double with alarming speed.

On the mound:It would be difficult to imagine a worse day pitching – think of the July 4 game against the Marlins at Coors Field and you’re getting close.
In recording only 13 outs, Jason Marquis was bombed for 12 runs and 10 hits. He had no command of his sinker as his ERA inflated to 14.14 ERA. At this point in the recap, the pitcher usually explains his outing. Marquis, however, left the ballpark without running, so that discussion will have to take place tomorrow morning. Reliever Juan Morillo also failed to escape the sixth, allowing a 400-foot-plus home run to Sean Rodriguez. Matt Belisle was the shining headlight in this car wreck, dropping the gate on the Angels’ deluge. In other words, he didn’t allow a run in his four outs of work, cause for celebration on this day. Belisle is making a push to secure the final relief spot. He’s competing with Josh Fogg, who pitches Friday in Tucson. The Angels have scored 56 runs with 15 home runs over their last four games.

In the field: Baker’s flyball struck Torii Hunter on the nose as he collided into the wall, leading to a hospital visit.

Attention all shoppers: Jeff Baker is starting at third base today for the Rockies. We’re talking to you Pittsburgh, Houston, Philadelphia, and, to a lesser degree, Atlanta and the Yankees.

The Rockies are exploring moving Baker given their depth. He’s out of options, it’s going to be hard for him to make the team so now’s the time to get something. Baker makes a lot of sense as a starting third base candidate for Houston and Pittsburgh, a bench bat for the Phillies, and a protection for injuries for the Yankees and Braves. Fox Sports reported that Philadelphia might be willing to part with Kyle Kendrick for Baker. If that’s the case, I would be shocked if the Rockies don’t jump on it. A potential fifth starter for a bench player, that would be a win for the Rockies.

The latter two teams lack a sense of urgency, so it’s unlikely anything gets done.

What was first a hip flex injury then a groin problem will not be an issue on April 6. Garrett Atkins told The Denver Post today that everyone should expect him to be in the lineup on opening day against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“I will be ready,” Atkins said by text message.

The third baseman has missed significant time this spring with the nagging leg injuries. The groin injury occurred during team drills, and has responded well to treatment. Atkins has gradually worked back into activity by hitting then fielding groundballs. Moving laterally is the biggest issue, both on defense and on the bases.

It’s impossible to oversate the importance of Atkins to the Rockies’ lineup. Even with a down year last season, he’s a proven run producer. This spring, with a slight adjustment to get his bat off his shoulder, he’s hit .471 while showing the gap-to-gap power that has made him one of the Rockies’ most productive players over the last four years.

The Rockies travel to Mesa today to face the Cubs. Catcher Chris Iannetta is on the trip and is expected to start. He’s been out of the Rockies’ lineup for the past three weeks as he starred in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA. He will catch a new face. Left-hander Greg Smith makes his first official Cactus League appearance since March 3. Smith was sidelined with the flu and his most recent outing came in a minor league game. Because the Rockies won’t need a fifth starter until the middle of April, at the earliest, there’s still time for him to get ready for the season. He could start in Triple-A Colorado Springs or Double-A Tulsa, if the weather is better, then get called up.

The Rockies, who have won two straight games, will face Chad Gaudin, Jeff Samardzija and Kevin Gregg, among others.

Signing off from LAX, next post, United Airlines willing, will be from Arizona.

Tom Glavine has plenty of incentive to stay healthy. The future Hall of Famer’s one-year, $1-million deal became official Saturday. But he will receive an additional $2.5 million if he spends 90 days on the active roster. There’s also that suite on the road trips that he has going for him.

Glavine receives $1.25 million for 30 days on the active roster, and $1.25 million for 90 days. Both amounts are deferred without interest. Glavine battled through injuries last season that ultimately required surgery. His return could provide a boost to an Atlanta team that lost legend John Smoltz to the Red Sox.

ROCKIES RECAPRockies 5, Indians 0
At Goodyear BallparkAt the plate:The emphasis on quality at-bats paid off again Wednesday during the Rockies’ fifth straight win. The Rockies’ scored three of their first four runs with groundouts to second base by Christian Colonel, Sal Fasano and Ryan Spilborghs. Quality outs and productive at-bats have been the mantra all spring. Indians pitcher Cliff Lee, the reigning American League Cy Young award winner, said he pitched differently against the Rockies than he would during the regular season. “I threw a lot more fastballs than normal, regardless of the situation. I am not real happy with the results, but I was concentrating on locating that pitch.’’

On the mound:Aaron Cook continues to miss bats. This isn’t his strategy – he pitches to contact with his heavy sinker — but it’s evidence that he’s becoming less predictable. He struck out seven, one short of his career high, in five innings. He has fanned 13 overall in his last nine innings. He was unaware that teammate/No. 2 starter Ubaldo Jimenez struck out a WBC-record 10 last night. So it was quite a 24 hours for the Rockies’ two most important arms. “I was able to mix in my slider, curveball and changeup more. Usually, I will give up a hit on those pitches and go right back to my sinker. I had a good feel for the secondary pitches today,” Cook said.
Manuel Corpas, inching ahead in the closer’s battle, pitched a scoreless sixth inning. He said his stuff is as good this spring as it has been at any point during his career. Huston Street, battling leg injuries, would have to stage one heck of a push to unseat Corpas at this point. Jhouyls Chacin continues to make a case to start the season in Triple-A. He worked two scoreless, projecting confidence that matched his stuff.

In the field:First baseman Dan Ortmeier dropped jaws with a full horizontal spear of Asdrubal Cabrera’s line drive in the first inning. Manager Clint Hurdle had the least graceful play, falling down the dugout steps onto his bottom. He laughed and walked it off.

Up next:The Rockies travel to Tempe to face the Angels for the third time this spring. Franklin Morales can create distance in the fifth-starter derby with a strong five-inning outing. He threw four scoreless last time out against the Giants’ everyday lineup, save for Fred Lewis. Scheduled pitchers include: Jason Hirsh, Huston Street and Matt Belisle. John Lackey will start for the Angels.

At the plate:Clint Barmes held a lumber party, going 4-for-4 with four RBIs. He finished a home run shy of the cycle. Barmes will open the season as the starting second baseman. “I am at my best when I stay loose and relaxed. I have been able to keep that approach and stay through the ball,” said Barmes, who his hitting .467 this spring.

On the mound:Franklin Morales rebounded from an atrocious outing with a sharp performance. He commanded a fastball that ranged from 88 to 92 miles per hour, allowing just three hits over four innings. “I had better location with my fastball, and had good balance and concentration. You know what, I never was down over the last game. I need to stay in control and try to win a job.”

Jason Hirsh was smashed for three runs in the sixth, his fastball lacking zip as it reaches the glove. He improved when his slider came into play, but didn’t get a lot of cheap outs. Hirsh is working to increase his mound tempo because he has a habit of working slowly. “It was progress, but not what I wanted,” Hirsh said. As it stands today, Morales and Greg Smith are slight leaders in the race for the fifth rotation spot, followed by Josh Fogg and Hirsh. Reynolds should benefit from more Triple-A seasoning, and Matt Belisle is still in the mix. He will make his debut Sunday.

In the field:Making a strong early push to land a bench job, Matt Murton has gotten good jumps and made a strong throws in both corner outfield spots. Jonathan Herrera, a walking web gem, made a sensational diving play at third base. He’s been playing all over given the injuries to Garrett Atkins, Ian Stewart and Jeff Baker. Yes, folks, Christian Colonel kept his streak alive. He has appeared in every spring game, including the B game and exhibition against Mexico. Dexter Fowler made a spectacular grab, running approximately 50 yards to track down a ball in the gap in the ninth inning.

Up next: The Rockies host the Padres in Tucson. Smith, Greg Reynolds and Belisle, in his spring debut, are scheduled to pitch. Todd Helton will start tomorrow and hit in the third spot in the lineup. Chris Young will start for San Diego.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.